The field of the invention relates to lamp assemblies for light sources.
In the prior art an illumination system includes a lamp assembly with a light bulb, a concave reflector, a fan and a bundle of optical fibers. The concave reflector condenses light energy and reflects it into the bundle of optical fibers. The fan dissipates the heat which the light bulb generates. Due to the large size of the illumination system, it is usually located relatively far away from the work area. The remote positioning of the illumination system necessitates the use of a relatively long bundle of optical fibers. Due to the light losses inherent in the bundle of optical fibers, which losses can be as high as fifty percent per meter, the light bulb used must emit light of a high intensity and therefore, it must have a relatively high wattage. One disadvantage of using high wattage bulbs is that they have a relatively short operating life. Another disadvantage is that the high emission of heat will inconvenience the operator as well as the patient. Furthermore, a relatively large fan must be used to cool the illumination system whereby the size of the fan creates an undesired increase in the overall size of the illumination system and produces disturbing noise.
For many years, fiber optic illumination systems have used bundles of optical fibers to transmit light to dental and medical instruments. One end of each bundle of optical fibers is conventionally inserted into an opening in a socket which is aligned with a light source. The light from the light source is transmitted through the bundle of optical fibers to the dental or medical instrument at the other end of the bundle of optical fibers.
European Patent Application filed Oct. 18, 1982 under Serial No. PCT/SE82/00337 discloses an illumination system which is relatively compact and which includes a lens and reflector. The lens and the reflector are combined to form a condensing system which is designed to concentrate light emitted from a relatively low wattage light bulb on a light-receiving end of a bundle of optical fibers. Because its light is concentrated, the low wattage bulb can illuminate the light-receiving end of the bundle of optical fiber to the same extent as a higher wattage light bulb. The use of the low wattage light bulb is advantageous in that it takes up less room and generates less heat than a high wattage light bulb. However, in order to illuminate more than one bundle of optical fibers and therefore more than one instrument, the lens of the condensing system is adapted so as to be switchable between two or more bundles of optical fibers. Each bundle of optical fibers may be selectively and independently coupled to the light bulb. Although the switch permits a plurality of bundles of optical fibers to be illuminated, they can not be illuminated simultaneously. The provision of such a light switch is also disadvantageous in that it requires a manual switching operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,758,951 teaches an illumination system which includes a control module for controlling the intensity of the light source. The control module is adapted to be mounted on a dental tray. The use of the control module which is separate from the light source provides a convenient mechanism for controlling the intensity of the light source and one which utilizes a minimum portion of a dentist's working area. A dental handpiece hose receives a bundle of optical fibers which is connected to the light source. The dental handpiece hose includes the usual conduits and a further conduit disposed between conduits for receiving the bundle of optical fibers. One of the walls defining the further conduit may be made up of a pair of elongated interlocking members which permit the wall to be partially or completely opened for ready access to the further conduit.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,419 teaches a connector which includes an optical fiber element having a light-receiving end with a transverse cross-sectional shape which complements the transverse cross-sectional shape of a light-receiving end of another optical fiber element. The complementarily shaped light-receiving ends permit a plurality of optical fiber connectors to be arranged alongside one another so that they may be directly and simultaneously illuminated by a single beam of light emitted from a source of light.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,638,013 describes an illumination system which includes a rotatable plug having three bundle-receiving openings. The plug may be rotated so that one, two or all three of the openings are positioned to be illuminated by a light source so that a corresponding number of instruments can be lit.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,579 teaches an apparatus for use in operating a dental drill in which the air, water and light for the hand-held drill member are each delivered from an associated supply source, all of which are adapted to be located at a position remote from the working end of the drill and are coupled to the drill through a conduit cable. A control mechanism for the selective energization of the light supply source is located within easy reach of the operator to permit turn-on and/or turn-off of the light supply source through a simple fingertip control which is provided within a remote control unit which is totally electrically isolated from the high voltage present in the light supply source in order to protect both the operator and the patient from either shock or injury. The light supply source may be automatically energized merely by lifting the dental instrument containing a bundle of optical fiber. The apparatus may be independent of the dental drill in order to permit a wide variety of uses independently of its use with the dental drill.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,134 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,098 teach an optical fiber element which includes a first bundle of optical fibers, a support member and a yieldable member. The first bundle of optical fibers has at least two optical faces. The support member supports at least a portion of the bundle of optical fibers with one optical face in a desired initial position. The yieldable member cooperates with the first bundle of optical fibers in order to permit movement of one optical face relative to its initial position upon application of pressure to one optical face. The optical fiber element is especially adapted for use in combination with a dental handpiece in a manner such that one optical face extends through the turbine housing portion of the dental handpiece. The optical fiber element also includes a tubular guide member, a resilient support member in the form of a flexible tubular member and a plunger assembly. The first bundle of optical fibers extends through each of the above components. The other optical face of the optical fiber element is adapted to be coupled under compression and in face to face alignment with a light emitting face of a second bundle of optical fibers, which is connectable to a light source, to complete a light path to the light source.
The inventors incorporate the teachings of the above-cited patents into this specification.